Round fabric belt and method and apparatus for forming the same



April 19 1927'.

W. W. BEWSICK 1C BELT AND METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING THE SAME ROUND FABR Filed July 22. 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 pm] w. w. BEWSICK ROUND FABRIC BELT AND METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING THE SAME Filed July 22. 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jifrezzzar Patented Apr. 19, 1927.

Unit E; sra

WILLIAM W. BEWSICK, OF SHELBY, OHIO, ASSJGNOR TO THE CLEVELAND TRUST. COMPANY, OF CLEVELAND, QHIO, A CORIPOB AI IQ'DT OF 035110.,

ROUNDFABRIG BELT AND METHOD ANDAPPARATUS FOR FORMING THE'SAME;

Application filed. July 22,

This invention relates to improvements in round fabric belts andthe method and apparatus for forming thesame.

More particularly this invention relates to an attachment for a sewing machine by whiclntoroll; and form a strip of canvas or other flexible and'pliable sheet material into aisubstantially cylindricalform and present it; in such form to the sewing mechanism by which it. is stitched so that it will retain itscylind-rical; shape and thus form a round fitXible belt.

The present; invention relates to the same general type of device disclosed in the application of; Albert H, DeVoe, Serial No. 327,585,,filedSept, 30, 1919, andassigned to the present applicant, and to which reference ishere made for a fuller understanding of the present invention,

It is; the object of this invention to provide a, round fabric belt and an improved method and apparatus. for forming the same; also to insure proper guiding andcten.- sioning of the material as well assecuring offthe sameinfinished form so as to prevent unwindin It is to be understoodhowever that although the invention is shownand described; in connection with a machine for sewing the flexible belting, it isnot necessarily. so limited; but the flexible material may beheld to shape by an adhesive such as cement or the-like.

Other objects of the invention will be apparent from the following description and claims when. considered together 'with the accompanying drawings. 7

Fig. 1':- is a side elevation of my invention shown in combination with the stitching mechanism; Fig. 2 is a section on line 2-2,

- Fig.- 1; Fig. 3 is a section on line 3'-3, Fig. 1'; Fig. axis a, plan view of my improved mechanism; Fig. 5 is a rear elevation of the same; Fig. Gshows in perspective the hemmed fabric cut on the bias; and-Fig. 7 is aiperspective of: the round belt in completed form.

According to the invention in its preferred embodiment, the device is so arranged. that the sheet of flexible material: is rolled: or wound upon itself in the form ofa.

convoluteand secured in such condition. This makes a substantially cylindrical element which is adapted for tween a sewing machine and other machinery andparticu- 1 larly asa. substitute. for the. round leather 1921; SeriaLNo. 486,913.

belting now used forv general purposes. The stitchesv preferably. extend substantially through the diameter as better securing the folds in proper position, but. obviously the invention is not limited to such an arrange ment since the stitches may beapplied in other suitable fashions. The apparatus consists of a fabric folding or rolling device comprising a tapered, tubular portion having a spiral work-guiding slot, and'an auxiliary fabric guide strip which co-operates with the tubular member in afiording proper tensioning for. the fabric as it is wound. The fabric to be rolled is provided With ahead or welt. along each of its longitudinal edges, preferably by either folding the material and passing thev folded edge portion through the hemmer as ona sewing machine or by folding and stitching each edge portion about a cord filler. These welts or beads in this case are of substan tially semi-cylindrical form and are inserted within. the tubular portion of the folder so as to form together a substantially cylindrical core with. the intermediatebody portion of.- the material extending through the spiral work-guiding slot and over; the fabric guide. strip which maintains the same in properly distended position. As-the material is passed lengthwise through the folderit is rolled or folded tightly about the welts or beads as a core and'the inner walls of the tube acent the slot form awork confining and guiding means. A tubular guide mem ber is located between the delivery end of the folder and the needle for properly guiding the wound belt to the table'of the sewing machine.

The bed plate of; the sewing machine is indicated at 1:, the usual needle at 2, shuttle mechanism at 3, feed dog at 4, the feed dog being mounted upon the feed bar 5, and the presser bar at 6, upon which is mounted the presser foot 7. Throat-plate 8 is provided. with the usual needle aperture 9 and an opening 10 for the feed dog.

The fabric rolling device consists of a base plate 11 formed of a flat strip or plate which is secured to the bed plate by means of the screws 12. Mounted upon the under side of the base plate 11 are the supporting strips 17 and 18 which are bentbac'kwardly upon themselves as indicated at 19 and terminate in the substantially semi-cylindrical concave portions 20 within which are till mounted for adjustnuint the correspondingly curved blocks ill and fit carrying the slotted, tapered, tubular member 312. The upper edges of the portions 2t) are slotted at 223, set screws 21'' extending thcrethrough for threaded engagement with the blocks 21 and 21". By looseningthe screws 21 the tuocua 2t and 91." can be rotated upon the axis oi? the tubular member 2:2 and set in adjusted position by clamping the screws against the hearing portions 20.

ihe guide strip it is tapered tln'oughout its forward portion and is twisted or bent into what n'iight be termed a. spiral shape corres jiondiug to the angularity of the spiral of the slot :26 in the tubular member so as to insure proper tenaiouing ot' the fabric throughout its entire travel through the slotted tube or in other words throughout the entire belt forming operation. The guiding strip it is also arranged so as to occupy such a position with respect to the end of the slot 26 that as the wound fabric is drawn from the tubular member the portion of fabric rinnaining to he wound will he held in proper position and will be laid upon the rest of the roll so as to receive the stitches through the outer marginal portion thereot. By means oi the adjustable mount .ing at the tapered tube and the guide strip, these parts can be adjusted about the axis of the tubular member so to ensure that the belt will he so presented to the stitching mechanism that the needle will stitch through the marginal portion of the last part of the fabric to be laid in wound posi tion. as above referred to.

The tubular member 22 is divided throughout its rear end portion and the two halves thereof are secured along their lower edges to the opposite sides of the guide strip 24 which extends therehelow throughout its rear portion. The guide strip and the tubular member are together secured to the hearing hiorh Q1". The tubular member is alone secured to the hearing block 21. the guide strip Qt at this point being spaced from the tubular member. Thus it will be seen that the guide strip is attorded support illllOllQ'lk out its rear end portion in alignment: with the straight portion oi the slot of the tubular member so that the seu'iia'ylindrioal cores can he guided in the two hall' sections of the tubular member while at the same time the intermediate or body portion of the fabric extends orer the guide strip. It may he observed that the guide strip begins to taper and to take on the spiral forn'i at substantially the same point where the tubular member begins to taper and where the slot begins to spiral. It will he noted also that the direction oi the spiral oi the slot. in the tubular member is opposite to that of the spiral of the guide strip: which means that tension is applied to the core at the outer portion ol the fabric in uporite directions. The pitch oi the slot the tubular member decreases toward the smelter end thereof and the parts are, so eonstructed and arranged that the tension upon the t'ahrie increases-i as it al'uu'oaiizhes the iuiall cud o t' the tube. "the guide menu her 5.2:? is tapered in the same. direction as tube 532 and is adapted to guide the wound helt to the needle. the trout end of the ;.i'uide 2:3 is slotted at 22 to acconunodate the needle as it stitches the belt. This guide member is suitably mounted upon the bed plate t the sewing machine as by means of plate Mounted upon the presser bar 6 is a block 3?; provided with a pin 36 extending across the slot It? in which is slidably secured the siu'iport 31" for the alking presser foot. The suppm't, ST is pirotally numnted upon the member 38 which is lifted during the torination ot' each stitch. through the cam located in the head of the machine and the clutch mechanism substantially as in the patent to I-teggie No. 998 845, July 25, 1911. i more LXl'tiltlCtl description is believed not to be neeessary. The presiiser foot and presser bar may he n'uuiuallv lifted by means of the usual cam lever 40. ldouuted upon the teed dog the lug ell which extends upwardh through a slot in the cloth-plate and contacts with roller stud 42- niounted upon the prcsser foot 7 to give a positive 'leeding movement to the presser 'l'oot eorreapoiuling to that of the lower teed mechanism. The presser foot and its support are normally held in forward position by spring 4-3. Mounted under the bed-plate is the usual :teed li't't arm not shown provided with the roller stud for giving the up and down mo tion to the teed dog. as in the application cited above. Suitably mounted upon the bed-plate is an arm 50 carrying the grooved presser roller 51 which can be adjusted by means ot the screw 52 so as to engage the end port on of the guide strip 24 and Force the same more or less forwardly aceordiiug- 1r as desired and depending upon the tension of the fabric. In other words. the adjustable presser roller atiords a means of varyiug the degree of tension of the TFHlHiG pro duced by the guide strip. The idler 55 mounted upon the bracket arm 56 of the bed plate bears against the slotted tube and enumerates with the roll i 5'1, in maintain ing the end oi the tube and strip in position for proper delivery oi the wound tabrie to the guide 22.

In operation, a strip ot flexible material such as canvas 59 cut on the bias is first formed with a welt or head i preferably by folding each side of the strip upon itacll sereral times and then passing the folded edge portions through a hemn'ier and stitch ingthe hems therein. The strip of fabric is tltl tit)

of this portion.

ease-4c then threaded in:.the tubular guide 22 by passing the body. ofthe stripthrough the slot and along opposite faces of the. guide strip 24, leaving the. core 'or welt sections withinthetube. The body portion ofthe flexible strip extendsoutwardly through-the slot and over the edge of the. guide-strip as indicated in the: drawin s. The extent of the fabric: strip. between the core sections bearssuch relation to the effective width of the guide strip that the intermediate portion of the. fabric is maintained in properly distended position so as. to be. given proper tension for winding. The. hemmedor bead edsections alilord a meansby. which to grip the edge. portions of the strip for pulling it through the tube and formalso a substantially cylindricaljcore aboutwh-ich the rest of the-strip .is rolled asit passes off the small encl'of the tubularmember; As aboveexplained, the guidestrip is so constructed and arranged with respect to the spiral slot in the tubular member that proper tension is maintained for the fabric throughout its entire windiii moperationi- I As the fabric is: tightly. wound when it leaves the smaller end of the tube, consider able pull is: necessary to draw itthrough the rolling andfold ing device. It-is therefore desirable to provide. means: for clamping the formed roll to pull it off of the forming mechanism and past the need-lie This done by providing the feed dog 4- and'the presser foot? with opposed faces, these faces being formed with teeth or serrations for gripping the roll, as shown, under the action of a spring for holding the presser foot down upon the Work. In order to take a portion of the strain off the feed dog, the projection 4:1 is provided. As the rolled material is tightly clamped between the presser foot and feed dog the belt is prevented from twisting at the stitching point. Since the outer folded portion is laid snugly over the tightly rolled portion just before the roll reaches the needle it is positioned accurately to receive the stitches adjacent the folded edge It will thus be seen that the roll will be stitched before it has an oppor 'tunity to unwind or untwist and that it does not have any exposed raw edge which will ravel or fray, both of the raw edges of the strip being positioned at the core.

WVhat I claim is:

1. In a device of the character described, a spiral guiding element for grasping and guiding the edges of a folded fabric strip to be formed into a belt, and fold guiding means associated with said spiral guiding element, said guiding element and said fold guiding means together constituting a tension means for the fabric strip as it is formed into a round belt body.

2. In a device of the character described, a spiral guiding element for grasping and guidingthe edges of a folded strip to be formedtinto afabric: belt, and foldguiding and tensioning means. associated with said spiral guiding element, said guiding element and said fold guiding means together constituting a tens-ioning means for the fabric as it isformed into. a round body.

Ina device of thecharacter described, means. forguiding the-sedge portions. of a fabric. strip, and meansincluding said guiding means for rolling the intermediate portion of fabric about said edge portions so as to form a substantially round belt.

4.. In adevice of the character described, meansfor guiding the edge portionso-fa fabric strip. and means including said guidmeans for rollingth-e intermediate portion of fabric under tension about said edge portions so as to form a substantially round belt.

5. In a device of thecharacter described, means for guiding the edge portions of a fabric strip, and means including-said guiding means and another'guiding member for rolling the intermediate portion of fabric about said edge portions and ap-plyingtension thereto dnring the rolling operation so as to form a substantialy round belt.

6 .51111 a device of the character described, means for guiding the edge portions of' a fab ric strip, andmeans-including an auxiliary guiding member for rolling the intermediate portion offab ric about the edge portions so as to. form a substantially round-belt, said first named guiding means and auxiliary guiding member being so constructed and arranged'as to maintain uniform tension upon the fabric during the rolling operation.

7. In a device of the character described, a spiral guiding element for engaging the edge portions of fabric strip, and an auxiliary guiding member for engagement of the intermediate portion of said strip, said auxiliary guiding member being so constructed and arranged with respect to said spiral element as to maintain said strip under uniform tension.

8. In a device of the character described, means for guiding a fabric strip having two substantially semi-cylindrical hemmed edge portions and an intermediate portion, comprising means for guiding said hemmed portions in supplemental relation, and means for guiding the intermediate portion of said fabric strip in folded relation.

9. In a device of the character described, a spirally slotted tapered tube for receiving and guiding hemmed portions of a fabric body in supplemental relation, and means for guiding the fabric intermediate said hemmed portions in folded relation.

10. In a device of the character described, means for guiding a portion of strip of fabric to serve as a core, means for guiding the remaining portion of said strip of fabric, and means including said first named two means i'or winding said fabric in multiple layers upon the core into a substantially round belt.

1 l. l'n a device oi the character described, means tor guiding two portions of a strip of fabric, means for guiding the fabric intermediate said portions, and means including said first named two means for rolling said fabric about said liri-t named two portions so as to form a substantially round belt.

Ina device oi the character described, means for guiding two portions of a strip of fabric, means for guiding the fabric intermediate said portions, and means including said first named two means tor rolling); said l'abric from the inside, and outsidi about said first named two portions so as to form a substantially round belt.

13. In a device of the character described, means for guiding portions of a strip of tab ric so as to serve as a core for a substantially round belt, and means for guiding the portion of fabric intermediate said first named portions, said means being so constructed and arranged as to place the fabric under gradually increasing tension during the belt forming operation.

It. In a device of the character described, means for guiding: portions of a strip of labric to serve as a core, means for guiding the portion intermediate of said first named portions, and means including said first named two means for rolling said fabric in one dinemesis reetiou from the inside and in the opposite direction from the outside so as to form a substantially round bell.

if). in a device of the character described, a spiral guiding means tor the edge portions oi a fabric strip, a guiding means for the main body ot the strip and extending lengthnix-"e of said first named guiding means, said second named guiding means being also tapered in the direction of taper of said first named guiding: means.

1.6. In a device oi the character described, a spiral guiding, means for the edge portions of a fabric strip, a guiding means for the main body of the strip and extending lengthwise at said first named guiding means, said rccond nanied guiding; means being tapered and bent transversely in the opposite direction from that of the spiral of said first named guiding means, whereby the fabric is held under proper tension.

17. In a device of: the character described, means ha vi 11;; a spiral slot for guiding the edge portions of a body of fabric, and a guide strip about which the middle portion of the fabric is adapted to extend, said slotted means and guide strip being supported at their rear end portions, and the said slot and strip being spiraled in opposite directions so as to maintain said fabric under proper ten- 51011.

In testimony whereof I hereby aflix my signature.

WILLIAM "W. BEWVSICK. 

